339
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
25
Direct injuries
$14.2M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Woodbury County, Iowa: 339 recorded events between 1955 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 85. That places the county #332 nationally and #8 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Woodbury County, Iowa: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Woodbury County is the 2000s, when 80 of the county's 339 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Woodbury County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 39.6% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #332 for this hazard and #8 within Iowa, putting it in the 89.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Woodbury County with 114 recorded events, while Jan is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25, 1986 | 53 | 0 | 16 | $0 | |
| Jun 17, 1984 | 0 | 0 | 4 | $0 | |
| Jun 21, 2011 | MOVILLE | 70 | 0 | 2 | $150K |
| Jul 21, 2008 | SIOUX CITY | 81 | 0 | 1 | $5.0M |
| Jul 17, 1996 | SALIX | 70 | 0 | 1 | $200K |
| Jun 17, 1990 | 50 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 2025 | SERGEANT BLUFF | 56 | $0 |
| Sep 14, 2025 | SIOUX CITY | 56 | $0 |
| Sep 14, 2025 | (SUX)SIOUX CITY ARPT | 56 | $0 |
| Jul 30, 2025 | (SUX)SIOUX CITY ARPT | 51 | $0 |
| Jul 30, 2025 | SIOUX CITY | 50 | $0 |
| Jul 28, 2025 | HORNICK | 56 | $0 |
| Jul 28, 2025 | MOVILLE | 61 | $0 |
| Jul 8, 2025 | (SUX)SIOUX CITY ARPT | 51 | $0 |
| Jun 16, 2025 | CORRECTIONVILLE | 50 | $0 |
| Jun 16, 2025 | PIERSON | 61 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Woodbury County
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Thunderstorm winds caused widespread damage in and near Sioux City. Tree damage included large trees blown down, blocking several roads. A few vehicles were destroyed and numerous vehicles damaged by falling trees and tree debris. Falling trees also damaged several residences and garages, causing one known injury. The winds lifted a three car garage off its foundation, and overturned it onto a nearby pasture. One large tree split an occupied trailer in the middle, missing residents who were sleeping at both ends. Numerous power lines and poles were blown down or broken, leaving an estimated 19,000 customers without power, several thousand of which were still without power 24 hours later. Numerous buildings, especially residences, sustained roof damage, especially to shingles. The winds damaged or blew down several signs, damaged fences, and blew down a large awning that sheltered gasoline pumps at a convenience store. The winds flattened crops near the city, but the amount of crop damage was not known, especially since crops were expected to partially recover.
Downburst thunderstorm winds caused extensive tree damage in Sioux City. Large trees were uprooted, snapped, and stripped. A few vehicles were completely destroyed by the falling trees. Houses and other buildings, including a nursing home, were also damaged by trees and debris. Many streets were blocked. Power lines and poles were also blown down, resulting in power outages affecting at least forty thousand people. Traffic lights were blown down. Roofs were damaged, including the roof blown off a medical office building, and sheet metal ducting blown off a roof. A 95 foot radio tower was also blown down, damaging a car and small building.
Thunderstorm winds caused widespread tree damage, including several trees blown down. The winds also destroyed two machine sheds, damaged roofs and siding on homes, blew down power lines, and damaged equipment at a construction project. The winds flattened some crops in the area, but the amount of crop damage was not known.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Woodbury County, Iowa?
339 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Woodbury County between 1955 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Woodbury County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Woodbury County measured 85.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Woodbury County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Woodbury County, Iowa.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/iowa/woodbury-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.